The new house is located in the top riverside apartment in Jiangcheng, with a wide view. The decoration is in a modern minimalist style, exuding incomparable luxury in a low-key manner, just like Lu Tingchen himself. It's just that in this vast space, there's a lack of the hustle and bustle of daily life; it's more like a beautiful model room.
Su Wanwan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the brilliant river view and the city lights, still feeling somewhat dazed. Within a single day, there was a wedding upheaval, grandpa's awakening, and a reversal of the truth... The huge amount of information left her brain almost unable to handle it.
The elaborate wedding dress on her body had long been taken off, and she was wearing a comfortable silk bathrobe, but the icy coldness of the wedding ceremony still seemed to linger on her fingertips, as well as... The warmth coming from Lu Tingchen's palm.
A cup of warm milk was handed to her.
Su Wanwan came to her senses, took the cup, and accidentally touched Lu Tingchen's hand with her fingertip. Both of them paused slightly.
Thank you. She whispered, holding the milk cup, and the warmth gradually seeped into her palm.
Lu Tingchen stood beside her, also looking out of the window. His profile looked somewhat enigmatic in the light and shadow. He was not wearing a coat. The collar of his shirt had unbuttoned two buttons, losing a bit of his usual coldness and adding a touch of the casualness of home life. However, the trace of contemplation on his brows lingered on.
There was a subtle silence flowing between the two. It's no longer the previous estrangement or awkwardness, but rather a kind of tacit understanding that has just emerged after going through the storms together, and... A thin, invisible veil rose quietly because of Grandpa's words.
"Grandpa..." Su Wanwan couldn't help but speak first, her voice very soft, "It seems you really like me?" Even now, she still feels as if she were in a dream. Her grandfather's completely accepting attitude is the greatest comfort for her after a day of fear.
Lu Tingchen turned his head to the side, his deep gaze falling on her face, with an indescribable inquiry: "Mm-hmm." He knew you a long time ago.
Su Wanwan opened her eyes wide in surprise: "Very early?" How early is it?"
Lu Tingchen stroked the glass in his hand, his tone seemingly casual, but in fact, he was carefully observing her reaction with every word: "Probably before the decision to marry each other." He even knows the design awards you won in college and praises you for your creativity."
This was the sporadic information about his grandfather's concern for Su Wanwan that he had just asked Qin Hao to urgently look up.
The surprise on Su Wanwan's face became even more genuine, and there was also a hint of shyness from being flattered: "Really?" I never knew... How could Grandpa notice me? Her reaction was pure and natural, not at all like that of an insider.
Lu Tingchen felt a little relieved, but his doubts were not completely dispelled. Perhaps she's just too good at acting?
He continued to test the waters and threw out an even more significant piece of information: "Grandpa also said that the debts of the Su family were settled long ago." The marriage alliance seems to have another intention."
Clang!
Su Wanwan suddenly dropped the milk cup in her hand and it fell onto the expensive carpet, splashing a milk stain. Her face turned pale in an instant. She suddenly grabbed Lu Tingchen's arm, her eyes filled with shock and... Panic!
"Cleared?" ! How could that be? "!" Her voice rose with urgency, "Then why is Dad still..." Still want me..." It seemed that she had lost her composure and bit her lower lip hard. The words that followed were stuck in her throat, but her wide-open eyes were filled with disbelief and great confusion.
Her reaction was too genuine. The shock and panic that seeped from the core of her being could never be feigned.
Lu Tingchen's heart had completely settled down. What followed was a strong emotion, a mixture of heartache and anger - heartache for her complete ignorance, anger at her grandfather (and perhaps the Su family) for manipulating her like a pawn!
He immediately held her cold and trembling hand with his opposite hand, his tone slowing down and soothing: "Don't worry." I just found out, too. I'll find out exactly what's going on."
He withdrew his hand, fetched a tissue, squatted down and wiped the stains on the carpet for her personally. This noble man, who had never done such a thing before, moved at this moment with an incredibly natural expression.
Su Wanwan stared blankly at his focused profile, her mind in a complete mess. Has the debt been settled? Did that crisis that forced her to marry someone else not exist at all? So, what on earth is all this for? Does Dad know? Does Auntie know? Could it be that she is the only one in the family who is kept in the dark? !
A huge sense of sadness and absurdity of being deceived and exploited by a close relative swept over her, making her shiver all over.
Lu Tingchen cleaned up the stains, stood up, and seeing her dazed and red-rimmed look, he sighed and gently pulled her into his arms.
"Stop thinking about it." " His chin pressed against the top of her hair, and his voice was deep. "No matter what the cause was, the result is that you became my wife."
He gently patted her back with his palm, offering clumsy yet sincere comfort: "I have no regrets about this outcome."
Su Wanwan's face was buried in his warm chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. The tip of her nose was the fresh and pleasant scent from him. Her originally cold and chaotic heart was gradually soothed. He said... Doesn't he regret it?
She raised her head and looked at him with teary eyes: "You really..." Do you mind? I don't mind if this marriage began with a... "Scam?" " Even though she was also a victim, she still deceived him in the end.
Lu Tingchen gazed into her moist eyes, his fingertips gently brushing the corners of her eyes, and his tone was resolute: "I only care about the outcome." "
The result was that he got used to having her by his side, to protecting her, and even... I began to be attached to this warmth and bond. As for how it started, it seems less important.
This sentence, like the strongest reassurance, completely soothed Su Wanwan's uneasy heart. She reached out her hand voluntarily, wrapped it around his waist, and buried her face deeper into his arms, drawing on this reassuring strength.
Lu Tingchen's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, then he relaxed and held her even tighter. The soft body in his arms and his complete reliance strangely dispelled the gloom in his heart that had been cast by his grandfather's layout.
Perhaps the only thing Grandpa did right was, by a strange twist of fate, sending her to his side.
The night is getting deeper.
Su Wanwan, due to her fluctuating emotions, soon fell asleep leaning against his arms. Lu Tingchen carefully carried her back to the bedroom and covered her with the quilt.
Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, the tenderness in his eyes was gradually replaced by solemnity.
He gently closed the bedroom door, walked to the study and dialed Qin Hao's phone number.
How's the investigation going?
"Mr. Lu," Qin Hao's voice carried a hint of excitement and solemnity, "There's a significant discovery." Tracing back the flow of the old man's funds back then, we found that the money that "helped" the Su family settle their debts did not initially come from the Lu family's public account, but from an extremely private family trust fund of the old man! And the beneficiaries and supervisors of this fund... Only the old man himself and a designated law firm.
"Private fund?" This means that helping the Su family is an extremely personal act of Grandpa, and it might even be kept from everyone!
"Also," Qin Hao continued, "When we investigated the people the old man had contact with before his illness, we found that he had secretly met Shen Zhe's father, Shen Hong, the former chairman of the Shen Group, a week before his illness!"
Shen Hong? ! Shen Zhe's father? !
Lu Tingchen's pupils suddenly contracted! Things seem to be getting more and more complicated!
What did they talk about?
The content of the conversation is unknown and the meeting place is very private. But the very next day after their meeting, the old man's condition suddenly worsened and he was admitted to the hospital! Almost at the same time, Chairman Shen Hong was also sent abroad for convalescence due to a sudden heart attack, and the Shen Group was hastily taken over by Shen Zhe!
Everything is connected!
Grandpa's illness, Shen Hong's sudden "convalescence", Shen Zhe's seemingly strange behavior (approaching Su Wanwan and taking Su Mingwei away)... Behind all this, it seems to point to some hidden secret that was concealed many years ago! And this secret is very likely related to Grandpa's arrangement for Su Wanwan to marry him!
Lu Tingchen felt a huge net slowly unfolding before his eyes, and he was standing at the center of the net.
"Keep checking!" Focus on checking the purpose of establishing that family trust fund and the ultimate destination of the funds! Also, where exactly is Shen Hong 'convalescing' now? I want the exact address!
"Yes!" "
After hanging up the phone, Lu Tingchen stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of the study, gazing out at the deep night sky, his mood heavier than ever before.
Grandpa, the Shen family, the Su family, and Su Wanwan in his arms... Everyone was drawn into a maelstrom of old stories.
The only thing he could be sure of now was to protect that little woman who trusted and relied on him completely.
No matter how unbearable the truth is, he must uncover it.
Only by eliminating all potential hazards can she truly stay by his side safely.
He returned to the bedroom, lay gently beside the sleeping Su Wanwan and pulled her into his arms.
In her sleep, Su Wanwan let out an unconscious cooing, like a little cat seeking warmth, finding a more comfortable spot in his arms and continuing her slumber.
Lu Tingchen lowered his head and left a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead.
"Go to sleep." He murmured in a low voice, as if to her or to himself, "I'm here."
The night was gentle, temporarily concealing all the conspiracies and ripples, leaving only the two of them sleeping in each other's arms and the even greater storm that was about to come.